2025 Request for Applications (RFA)

Overview

The Tufts CTSI Small Grants to Advance Translational Science (S-GATS) Program invites proposals for innovative and collaborative projects aimed at advancing the science of translation. The program seeks to address fundamental obstacles commonly encountered in translational research across various diseases and health conditions, while also encouraging the exploration of novel opportunities and pathways.

The S-GATS Program encompasses the broad scope of translational science research, welcoming projects that address specific translational challenges—such as inaccurate predictions of drug toxicity or efficacy, poor data interoperability, and ineffective clinical trial recruitment—as well as those that seek to leverage untapped opportunities within translational science.

The primary goal of an S-GATS project is to advance translational research by addressing common barriers to translation and/or exploring novel opportunities. Successful applicants are expected to:

  • Identify a Translational Challenge or Opportunity: Clearly define a translational challenge, roadblock, or opportunity that the project aims to address. This may involve addressing a known obstacle or exploring new pathways for advancement in translational science.
  • Propose a Proof-of-Concept Study: Design a proof-of-concept study that demonstrates, in one or more use cases, an innovative and broadly applicable disease-agnostic and/or disease-universal research product(s). These products may include research methods, technologies, operational processes, medical treatments, and behavioral interventions, and should have the potential to significantly enhance translation of pre-clinical, clinical, health services, and policy research into tangible improvements in clinical care and health outcomes.
  • Develop a Dissemination and/or Implementation Plan: Provide a preliminary strategy for disseminating and/or implementing the developed product(s), ensuring that other investigators, clinicians, and key interest holders can effectively adopt and utilize the product(s) in their own translational research or clinical practice.

The application process requires an initial submission of a competitive Letter of Intent (LOI), due on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, and, if invited, a full proposal, due on Thursday, December 19, 2024. To ensure that the proposed research projects are responsive to the 2025 RFA, prospective applicants must consult with the S-GATS Program team prior to the LOI submission. A link to the LOI submission form will be provided following this consultation.

Award Information

Number of Awards: Four to six projects (depending on award budgets)

Award Ceiling: $50,000 in direct costs. Cost sharing and indirect costs are not allowed.

Project Period: May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026. Project extensions are not allowed under any circumstances.

Key Dates:

  • Translational Science Is Improving the Process information sessions (recommended):
    • Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at 8:30 AM
    • Thursday, September 12, 2024 at 4:00 PM
  • Competitive Letter of Intent due (required): Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 11:59 PM
  • Invitation to submit full proposal: by Thursday, November 14, 2024
  • Proposal due (by invitation only): Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 11:59 PM
  • Award announcement: March 2025

Interested applicants should email the S-GATS Program team at sgats@tuftsmedicine.org to schedule a required initial consultation, register for the information session, and receive the link for the LOI submission.

About the S-GATS Program

Established in 2022, the Small Grants to Advance Translational Science (S-GATS) Program is a funding opportunity available through Tufts CTSI and supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), one of the centers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of translational research. NCATS defines a core principle of translational science as understanding and addressing common causes of inefficiency and failure across various targets, diseases, and therapeutic areas. By tackling these shared challenges and exploring new opportunities, the S-GATS Program seeks to improve health outcomes, extend life, and reduce the burden of illness and disability.

In alignment with translational science principles identified by NCATS, the S-GATS Program supports innovative translational science projects that build the evidence base for effective scientific and operational approaches in translational research. The program is designed to accelerate the pace of such research by funding the development of research products that have broad, target/disease-agnostic or target/disease-universal applications. It prioritizes actionable research that addresses unmet scientific needs, improves community health outcomes, and/or advances health equity for marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented populations. In line with the NCATS mission and local priorities, the program funds projects across the full translational spectrum, from T.5 to T4.

To be considered for funding, applicants need to: 1) specify the common translational research challenge to be addressed or opportunity to be explored; 2) present a proof-of-concept study that demonstrates, through one or more use cases, innovative and broadly applicable research product(s); and 3) provide a preliminary plan for the near-future broad and intentional dissemination and/or implementation of the research findings ensuring that other investigators can adopt and utilize the developed products in their own translational research. To support collective action for health improvement, they should also have an integrated strategy for engaging key interest holders, such as community members, patient advocates, healthcare providers, policy makers, regulatory bodies, and industry representatives, relevant to their proposed translational science projects. Engagement of these interest holders should extend beyond traditional team science, encompassing a broad and inclusive approach throughout various stages of the research process and dissemination/implementation efforts.

Examples of Projects that May Be Supported

  • Improving Clinical Research Efficiency: Innovate or validate research methods or processes to overcome scientific uncertainties and operational inefficiencies, speeding up the delivery of new treatments and interventions to patients. Examples:
    • Create a roadmap for leveraging historical data in rare genetic disorder trials to reduce time and resource burdens
    • Compare collaborative approaches for developing informed consent materials that improve comprehension among study participants with limited English proficiency
    • Evaluate a framework for the development of performance standards to establish confidence in alternative test systems and models
    • Validate a self-administered neurocognitive screening tool to expand participation of underrepresented populations in clinical trials
  • Advancing Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: Create or integrate cutting-edge data tools to enhance accessibility, transparency, and decision-making, providing data-driven insights to scientists, clinicians, and patients. Examples:
    • Develop a computerized clinical decision support tool to reduce unnecessary diagnostic imaging
    • Create a searchable database from a retrospective analysis of neuroradiology errors to inform error-reducing strategies
    • Standardize geographic data validation processes in electronic health records to improve public health responses
    • Integrate medical and oral health records through advanced health informatics solutions for holistic patient care
  • Accelerating Dissemination and Implementation: Transform how innovations, scientific discoveries, and evidence-based interventions are disseminated or adopted in health care and community settings. Examples:
    • Develop a behavioral change framework to reduce over-treatment of mental disorders in private practice
    • Assess economic evaluation tools for implementing oral health interventions in low-income communities
    • Create culture-centered dietary interventions to prevent chronic diseases
    • Test a protocol for including community-based organizations in crafting lay summaries
  • Enhancing Predictive Efficacy and Toxicology: Develop advanced models that mimic human biology to improve drug testing, reduce patient risks, and deepen understanding of disease mechanisms. Examples:
    • Develop organoid models to predict chemotherapeutic toxicity and efficacy of drugs
    • Build a reference dataset for interpreting of high-throughput transcriptomic screens in toxicity testing
    • Incorporate genetic diversity into cell-based test systems to predict neurotoxic responses
    • Develop methods for extracting imaging features in pathology studies of animal models
  • De-risking Therapeutic Development: Develop advanced models and manage drug discovery programs to cut risks, time, and costs in translating research breakthroughs into treatments. Examples:
    • Develop a bioinformatics integration platform to expedite preclinical drug discovery studies
    • Optimize drug repurposing strategies with a focus on rare diseases
    • Innovate needleless auto-injector systems through refined tissue testing protocols
    • Assess public-private models for advancing ‘first-in-class’ therapeutic agents
  • Building Network Capacity and Competence: Foster cross-disciplinary collaborations and create novel training paradigms to equip researchers with skills for engaging in translational science. Examples:
    • Adopt a hub-and-spoke network model for delivering specialized care to medically underserved rural communities
    • Create a toolkit for adapting data hackathons in diverse healthcare settings
    • Develop a virtual peer-to-peer mentorship framework to support capacity building in translational science
    • Design resources for training research staff in best practices for remote or decentralized clinical trials

Applicant Eligibility

Applications must designate a Principal Investigator (PI) with a primary appointment or position at one of the Tufts CTSI partner or collaborator organizations listed below. Medical residents, fellows, post-doctoral fellows, or medical students are not eligible to serve as PIs. However, they may be included in key personnel along with collaborators not affiliated with Tufts CTSI.

Eligible Sites

  • Asian Community Development Corporation
  • Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence
  • Asian Women for Health
  • Authentic Caribbean Foundation
  • Brandeis University
  • Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center
  • Boston Public Health Commission
  • Care at Home
  • Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation
  • Cooperative Services Inc. Support & Development
  • Critical Path Institute
  • Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center
  • Greater Boston Section of the National Council of Negro Women
  • Kaiser Permanente Center Health Research
  • Lahey Hospital and Medical Center
  • Lowell General Hospital
  • Maine Medical Center
  • Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • MelroseWakefield Hospital
  • MGH Institute of Health Professions
  • Museum of Science, Boston
  • Newton-Wellesley Hospital
  • Northeastern University
  • Novartis Pharmaceuticals
  • Pfizer, Inc.
  • Point32Health
  • RAND Corporation
  • The Jackson Laboratory
  • Tufts Medical Center/Tufts Medicine
  • Tufts University
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • Urban College of Boston

Project Eligibility

Applicants must propose projects focused on advancing the science of translation and not just be translational in nature. This call for proposals is intentionally broad to encourage a diversity of approaches, welcoming both those tackling entrenched roadblocks and those seeking to open new avenues in translational research. Applicants must seek to understand a scientific or operational principle underlying a step of the translational process, thereby making the development and dissemination of interventions that improve human health more predictable and efficient. Although critically important, basic, discovery-oriented science projects, or projects focused on crossing a particular step of the translational process for a particular target or disease, are not supported.

If proposed, clinical trial activities must not go beyond the end of Phase IIB with the exception of Phase III clinical trials for treatment of rare diseases. Any research projects or research activities that involve a foreign component, as defined by NIH (e.g., performing a specific element or segment of a project outside of the U.S., with assistance of a collaborator employed by a foreign entity or a non-U.S. vendor, and/or with support or resources from a foreign entity), are allowable but generally not encouraged. If included, such components must be disclosed during the LOI stage and be well-justified.

Proposed budgets must be between $25,000 and $50,000 in direct costs and must be fully supported with the Tufts CTSI funds awarded through S-GATS funding mechanism. They cannot be add-ons to, or an extension of a parent project supported by another funding source. Indirect costs and cost sharing, including the use of supplemental funding or third-party in-kind contributions, are not allowed. If research space is provided by the institution for inpatient and or outpatient participant evaluations, the applicant will be asked to describe the space, its potential availability, and if applicable, hourly or overnight rates to be charged to support research activities.

All awards will be made via a subaward mechanism from Tufts University directly to the project PI’s home institution. Collaborations with investigators and partners at other institutions are allowed, with funding for these collaborators awarded through separate subawards also made by Tufts University. Due to restrictions set by the Tufts CTSI’s funding agency on the parent award, unspent funds cannot be carried forward at the end of the budget period.

Application Process

The S-GATS Program accepts full proposals by invitation only. All applicants are required to submit a competitive LOI presenting a concise description of their planned proposal. The LOI should describe the project and its proposed methods of study in adequate detail so that their merit and translational science focus can be assessed. Applicants are required to consult with the S-GATS Program staff prior to submission of the initial LOI. Sign up for a virtual consultation at sgats@tuftsmedicine.org.

How to Apply

The 2025 S-GATS Program has a two-step application process that includes a competitive LOI and, if invited, a final proposal. Both must be submitted via Tufts CTSI’s REDCap online submission portal. Unique LOI and proposal submission links will be provided by the S-GATS Program staff. Incomplete and late submissions will not be accepted.

  • Competitive Letter of Intent: The LOI should total no more than three pages in length, including any references. The submission should also include a biosketch of the Lead Principal Investigator. Detailed instructions and application templates will be provided by the S-GATS Program staff. LOI submissions will be accepted through Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
  • Proposal (by invitation): All LOI applicants will be notified whether or not their projects are chosen to move forward to the proposal stage no later than Thursday, November 14, 2024. For applicants submitting full proposals, detailed proposal instructions and program-specific form templates will be available in REDCap on November 13, 2024. Full proposals must be submitted by Thursday, December 19, 2024.

Letter of Intent Review

The LOI review process is designed to help identify the most promising and scientifically sound translational science projects to move forward and to support further project development. All competitive LOIs will undergo an administrative review by the S-GATS Program staff for their alignment with the program’s objectives. Project ideas that are deemed responsive to the 2025 RFA will be reviewed and scored by at least two scientific peer reviewers for their translational relevance, scientific rationale and rigor, feasibility, clarity, and potential for impact. Successful projects will be selected in consultation with the Tufts CTSI Research Collaboration Team,  Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design (BERD) Center, Dissemination and Implementation Core, Evaluation and Continuous Improvement, and Community and Stakeholder Engagement programs, as appropriate.

Proposal Review and Funding Decisions                                                

All complete proposals will be assessed and scored on the basis of the following criteria: Translational Challenge and Opportunity Identification, Innovation and Scalability, Proof-of-Concept Study Design, Feasibility, and Overall Impact and Advancement of Translational Science. Key funding considerations include the overall impact score, project feasibility, intentional focus on health equity, budget justification, available funds, and distribution across the translational spectrum. Please learn more about the application review criteria and funding decision here.

Additional Resources

Questions?

We are here to help. Please contact us at sgats@tuftsmedicine.org with any questions or to schedule a virtual consultation.

Aviva Must, PhD, Program Director

Michael T. Chin, MD, PhD, Senior Advisor

Nadia Prokofieva, MSSc, Senior Project Manager